Vise grip insulator



July 5, 1949 R.- BENEDlc'r 2,475,172

y VISE GRIP INSULATOR med uacn 1a. 194e IN VEN TOR.

l?. jieneczet ATTE R N EYS Patented .uly 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VISE GRIP INSULATOR Rome H. Benedict, Baytown, Tex.

Application March 12, 1948, Serial No. 14,440

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to insulating devices for electric wires used under iioors, along walls, fence posts, and the like, and in particular an insulator in the form of a nail having a vise-like head with a stationary jaw and a movable jaw and with wire gripping insulating inserts in the jaws.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an insulator for supporting electric wires that may readily be driven into a wall surface, post or the like which will positively grip the wire and in which the wire gripping elements thereof are held in alignment.

Various devices have been used for supporting and insulating electric wires but insulatcrs that are adapted to be installed with a hammer are so constructed that the insulating elements, which are usually of porcelain, break very easily and the wire gripping parts are free to turn on the nail so that registry of the gripping elements is difficult and it is therefore difcult to grip the wire iiriniy so that the wire does not slip. With these thoughts in mind this invention contemplates an insulator with insulating elements mounted in arms similar to the jaws of a vise and with a nail extending from one arm and the other arm slidably mounted on the nail.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an insulator that is complete within itu self which may readily be driven into a post, wall, or the like and that will positively grip a wire held therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulator for supporting and gripping electric wires which is of the drive-in type in which the gripping action is intensied as the driving action is continued.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulator in the form of a nail with a vise-like head in which insulating elements therein may readily be removed and replaced. A further object of the invention is to provide an insulator in the form of a nail with vise-like gripping jaws in the head thereof which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view'the invention consists of the new and novel combination, construction, and arrangeinent of parts as hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the claims appended hereto, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein:

Figure l is a View showing a side elevation of the insulator.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing a longitudinal section through the insulator head with the nail shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the insulator.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan through the insulator taken on line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail showing one of the insulating blocks inserted in the jaws of the insulator.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the lower movable jaw of the insulator.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the insulator of this invention includes a nail It having a head formed with a stationary jaw il and a movable jaw I2, and the jaws are provided with blocks I3 and I4 of insulating material which are inserted in recesses l5 and i@ in the coacting gripping faces thereof.

The nail IU is formed with flat sides and the movable jaw I2 is slidably mounted on the nail through an opening I'I in a hub I8 thereof and the opening Il is also formed with at sides corresponding with the at sides of the nail whereby the jaw is prevented from turning. The stationary jaw II extends outward. from a head I9 at the end of the nail and the jaw I2 is positioned to extend from the same side so that the jaws are secured in registering positions, and with the insulating blocks I3 and M positioned in the recesses therein, an electric wire positioned between the jaws will be rmly gripped by the blocks.

The recess I5 is formed with arcuate ends, and the recess I6 with similarly shaped ends 22 and 23, and the blocks I3 and I4 are formed with ends having arcuate surfaces to correspond with the recesses so that they will remain in position. The abutting surfaces of the blocks may also be formed with arcuate recesses 2d and 25 between which wires may be gripped. It will be understood that the abutting surfaces of the insulating blocks, or the ends thereof and also the corresponding ends of the recesses in the jaws may be of any other suitable shape, and the opening through the hub of the movable jaw and the nail may have any number of flat sides or may be of any suitable shape to hold the movable jaw in registry with the stationary jaw.

With the parts arranged in this manner the jaw I2 may be placed on the nail and with a wire held between the jaws the nail may be driven into a wall, post, or the like and the jaws will positively grip and hold the wire, and the gripping action may be increased by driving the head of the nail so that the nail is driven further into the Wall or post,

It will be understood that modicatons may be made in the design or arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An insulator comprising a nail having a head with an extending stationary jaw integral therewith and extended laterally therefrom, a movable jaw slidably mounted ,on the ,nail and extended `laterally therefrom to register with the stationary jaw, said jaws having recesses in the abutting faces thereof, insulating blocks in said recesses, and means retaniing the jaws in registering position.

2. In an insulator, a nail having flat sides and a head with a stationary jaw extending at 'one side, a movable jaw having a hub Withuan `Opening having fiat sides corresponding with vthe fiat sides of the nail therethrough, said jaws having recesses in the coacting surfaces thereof, and blocks of insulating material positioned in said recesses,

3. In an insulator for supporting and gripping electric wires and the iike, vthe combination, which comprises, a nail having a head with an arm extending laterally therefrom, a hub having .and the opening .therefor 4through the hub being shaped to 'prevent the hub turning on the nail.

ROM'IE H. BENEDICT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 805,169 Taubold Nov. 21, 1905 `907,251 .Lawrence Dec. 22, 1908 ,907,834r Marshall Dec. `29, 1908 1,055,046 Jansson Mar. 4, 1914'l SFQREIGN PATENTS Number Coun-try Date 28,474 Norway Jan. 7, l1918 

